Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2023
Abstract
In the 1960s, thousands of African students attended universities in the Eastern bloc. This chapter traces the history of the student movement, focusing on the Federation of African Students in the Soviet Union (FASSS).
Bringing together students from all over Africa, the FASSS was a radical and autonomous organisation. It was also the scene of conflicts over pan-Africanism, communism and nationalism as well as facing Soviet racism.
The article details these conflicts and explores the reasons why Maoism became attractive to African students. It also examines the reasons for the collapse of FASSS and traces the trajectories of the student leaders who returned.